SOUL-SLEEP IS NOT SCRIPTURAL

I THESSALONIANS
The Apostle Paul wrote this first letter to the Thessalonians to confirm the young disciples in the fundamental truths that they had already learned. He was urging them to continue in Holiness and was also comforting them about those who had already died in the faith.

In 1 Thessalonians 4, a reference is made to those that are 'asleep' (v.13). The Greek word used here for 'asleep' is koimaō, pronounced koi-mä'-ō. It literally means to sleep, to still, calm or quiet and to die. It is also used in verses 14 & 15 when talking about those who sleep in Jesus. Bodies die but all souls are eternal, even the ones that are separated from God.

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (Verses 13-18)

In context, a parallel is drawn with those who 'sleep in Jesus' and the 'dead in Christ'. They are the same. The word 'dead' (v.16) comes from the Greek nekros, pronounced ne-kro's. It refers to one who has literally breathed the last breath, making the body lifeless. The initial focus of the scripture is on those who sleep and the second reference is on the dead. This scripture is therefore saying that those who 'sleep in Jesus' are also 'dead in Christ'.

ACTS
The scripture says that David went to sleep and saw corruption but Christ did not because God raised Him from the dead. The scripture here is talking about the bodies of the two. Surely no one can say that this refers to David's soul because that would mean that David’s soul saw corruption. Moreover, Christ's soul or spirit did not need rising from the dead but his body did. He would have gone back to God if His body had not been raised.

"God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption." Acts 13:33-37

The same two Greek words above (koimaō and nekros) are used in this scripture as well. Christ's body did not see corruption because God raised Him from the dead but David’s corpse lay rotting, awaiting the resurrection.

The scripture says the body without the spirit is (nekros) dead (James 2:26).

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

You may read the entire study by clicking the link "SOUL-SLEEP IS NOT SCRIPTURAL" under OTHER STUDIES to the right near the top of this page.

God Bless and Keep You!